ICC to add more umpires to elite panel

The ICC has said that the number of umpires on the elite panel will be increased from seven to nine or ten.

"Next year when we sit down to make appointments we'll increase the number to nine or ten but we want to have the best umpires supervising Tests and one-day internationals," Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, told The News. He said that seven umpires officiating ten Tests and 20 ODIs per year constituted a reasonable workload for a professional.

"But we've to recognise that cricket is the hardest game to umpire. And our aim has been to have the best umpires for the job. We also supplement the elite panel by the international panel which has two representatives from each member country. We've 20 to 25 supplementary umpires who from time to time also umpire Tests and one-day internationals."

The elite panel comprises Simon Taufel, Darrel Hair and Daryl Harper from Australia, Aleem Dar from Pakistan, Steve Bucknor from the West Indies, Rudi Koertzen from South Africa and Billy Bowden from New Zealand.